Cold Weather Favorites

When you live in Antartica Chardon, Ohio, you know there will be FREEZING cold weather for about four months a year. And you'll most likely get a snow day at some point even if you aren't a teacher or a student. So during my first winter with a baby, I thought I'd share some of my cold weather favorites for both mama and mini, after having our first snow day together this week.

For Mama:

Lush Charity Pot Lotion: Amazing for dry skin, and how awesome that 100% of the profits supports grassroots organizations working in the areas of environmental conservation, animal welfare, and human rights.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Night Cream: I just recently started using this Aveeno line, looking for something cheaper and more natural. This stuff soaks in and leaves my skin feeling so soft.

Eos Lip Balm: I own every flavor and have them all over my house, car, desk at work, etc. My favorite lip balm by far.

AEO Crew Socks: I haven't shopped at American Eagle since probably high school, but I can't deny how soft and cozy these crew socks are

LL Bean Boots: I wear these almost every day in the winter. Waterproof, warm, and comfy.

For Baby:

Crane Drop Humidifier: Lola had her first cold this winter, which was heartbreaking. But this humidifier seems to help with her congestion and sleeping at night.

Sweater Knit Hat: The hat we have is sold out, but really any adorable hat like this will do. Have to keep my little pumpkin's ear warm all winter long

Fleece Bear One Piece: Amazing for blistery cold days. We put Lola in this on her first walk this fall as well. I wasn't worried about her being cold at all. This thing is so soft, warm, and adorable

Dot & Stripe Stroller Blanket: We received this blanket as a gift, with Lola's name stitched on it. We use it to cover her up in her car seat and it is PERFECT.

Stay warm friends!

Surviving the Newborn Stage

1. MamaRoo this thing is the BEST for naps. Lola was not a fan of her crib or pack n play for naps in the beginning. Plug this sucker in, turn on the white noise, and she will nap for 3 hours! It's definitely pricey, and we got this one from Chuck's sister for free (Thanks Kelley!) and it's been amazing.

2. On-the-Go Sound Machine - we have this attached to Lola's car seat. We use the soft white noise the most. But it soothes her so fast in the car that she does so great now. Especially great for mama's weekly Target trips, when you want to spend an hour wandering the aisles and you don't have a crying baby in her car seat in the cart

3. Halo Sleepsack - the only way Lola will sleep at night. These are so great with the velcro to just zip her up and velcro her in so she can't wiggle her way out. Now that the winter is finally here, she wears the fleece ones and she is so snuggly and warm all night. She has given us several sleeps 8:30pm-7:00am and I think a lot has to do with how comfy she is

4. Sound Machine - Lola sleeps with the heartbeat sound on this machine, and it works wonders to drown out extra noise. With her room being right off our living room, we often find ourselves turning the TV so low we can't even hear it, and tip toeing around the house trying to be quiet so she naps good. But this machine definitely helps now that she naps in her room during the day

5. Old Navy Sleepers - these are the softest, lightest, comfiest, cutest sleepers ever. I wish they made these in adult sizes. They come in so many great colors (we have every single one) and they're the easiest for quick diaper changes because they zip right up no problem.

6. Swaddle Blankets - Lola naps swaddled in these blankets. We tried the Aden & Anais ones but they're too small for our tall girl. Little Unicorns has the CUTEST prints ever. We now own 5 ;-) And I've already pre-ordered this one, because I buy anything flamingo (duh)

7. Coffee - no need for explanation. You just need it. A lot of it.

And because no post is complete without a photo of my little pumpkin..

Three Months

Age: 3 months

Height: TALL. I won't know until her 4 month appointment, but girlfriend is very tall for her age

Weight: 13+ lbs

Clothing size: mostly she wears 3-6 months everything

Diaper size:  we just opened our first box of size 2

Eating:five 5 oz bottles a day, no real schedule except her before bed bottle at about 8:45pm

Sleeping: she has no daytime nap schedule, but she usually can only stay awake for about 1.5 hours at a time. She goes to bed at 9 and sleeps almost every night until 4 or 5, has a bottle and goes back to sleep until about 7

Favorite toys: definitely her new piano mat from Nana and Papa. She loves to kick and hear the music shes making

Loves: sliding on your lap, sitting up on anyones lap so she can look around, flying like an airplane

Lola is growing so much every single day. I love seeing something new she learns all the time. She's smiling more, making more and more noises, and overall just a happy baby! I couldn't ask for more love then I have. She is my everything. 

A couple photos from our adventures this month:

Lolas First Christmas 2015

Lolas First Christmas was one for the books! She turned 12 weeks old on Christmas Day!

Okay, so she slept through most of it. But she was blessed with the most amazing family. Who spoiled her with an abundant amount of wonderful gifts!

Christmas Eve we spent at my brothers house. It was so much fun to have all the kiddos together and see them all so excited to tear open presents. I'm very excited for Lola to feel that joy in the years to come! Here's a few photos from that night. Of course I'm wishing I took more photos yet again!

Christmas Day we spent at my grandmas house with the whole family. We're getting SO big with all our kids! 

Here's a few blurry ones from our gopro. 

Here's just a glimpse of the loot Lola was blessed with! 

We finished up the night exhausted. But full of love! Holidays through children's eye are so special. I'm so grateful to have the people in our life to share these amazing memories with! 

Be Here Now.

2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Lola isn't too excited about the new year in this picture, but we are!

Every year, I set 5 resolutions for myself.  Some years, I do a few for a few weeks, then say F it. Some years I conquer all five. This year... I have one.

Be Here Now

There is no promise for tomorrow. I'm choosing to be here now. (Thanks Ray Lamontagne!) I've always had a problem with waiting for something. I'm okay admitting that, because it's the truth. Last year I waited and waited for Lola to be here, then I waited for breastfeeding to get better, then I waited for her to sleep better at night. Then I noticed myself waiting for it to be warmer. Who am I kidding? We've got 3 more months minimum of cold! So I'm going to stop waiting. What if we don't get tomorrow?

 I'm sure the majority of you look at my life and think, how could she want more? I don't have it all. I don't have tons of money to buy whatever I want. I don't have the perfect job I love going to every day. I don't have the perfect sculpted body. I don't even fit into any of my clothes anymore. But I have enough money, I have a job, I have a beautiful baby girl that came from that scarred and unsculpted body, and I have two huge closets full of clothes. Those things are minuscule in comparison to whats really important. What I truly cherish is the ridiculously fun and loving family I have. The husband who tells me I'm beautiful every single day. A beautiful baby girl, who wakes up smiling every morning. Who loves me and trusts me enough to let me hold her while shes crying, and rock her to sleep when shes tired. It is so much more then enough.

So today, I'm not worried about when do the days start getting longer, or warmer, or better. Right now, is better. And tomorrow, if I'm lucky enough to have tomorrow, I'll figure it out then.

Ever since the first time I heard this quote, I have used it over and over again to remind my friends, my family, and myself....

 

CHEERS! To hopefully an amazing year!

Decking Lola's Halls

I can't believe it's the week of Christmas already! Our baby girls FIRST Christmas. It feels so much more magical this year, even though she isn't old enough to open presents, eat cookies, or even know whats going on. There's something about your baby's first Christmas that hits you right in ALL THE FEELS. 

 I have ALWAYS wanted to get a real tree for Christmas. I grew up getting a real tree every year. Well Chuck is Mr. Don't-Kill-Trees-If-You-Don't-Have-To, so we use a fake tree every year. He had a great idea on how we could make this year special for her. We chose to get a smaller balled blue spruce, and put it in her room for this Christmas. We're going to plant it in our front yard after the holidays and decorate it every year with her for Christmas, so she will always remember it was her First Christmas Tree. (He's SUCH a softy, and I love it)

So here is Lola's room, all decked out for Christmas! Since we spend most of our time in here anyway, I thought it should be decorated the MOST!

 

And here is her "first ornament" daddy surprised us with, when mommy couldn't find a "Baby's First Christmas" ornament anywhere she liked.  It is SO perfect for her.

Hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Two Months

This two month old is the sweetest, cutest thing I have ever laid my eyes on. There is something new to love every single day. 

She has her 2 month appointment on Monday and we will find out officially what she weighs. But I'm SURE it's well over 12 lbs! Don't be surprised to find bite marks on those chubby cheeks one day. I can't resist!

She has always been amazing at holding her head up. But tummy time is a whole new level now. She rolled from her tummy to her back for the first time the day before she turned 2 months old. And then did it 4 times in a row and loved it. From what I'm reading, she is 2 whole months early for this milestone. I'm a proud mommy for sure!

She absolutely LOVES bath time. I would leave her in there for hours if I could keep the water warm and it didn't suck to lean over the tub so long. She hates when we have daddy go get the towel to get out.

She also loves her Mr. Moose and loves to feel all the different fabrics on him and try to put everything in her mouth. We put him in her car seat with her and she always grabs him and holds him close while she sleeps. It's adorable. 

She loves her chin tickled and when you bicycle her legs and tell her she's running. And she thinks it's hilarious to watch her mom dance around the room singing Mariah Carey Christmas songs to her.

Every morning when you go in her nursery to get her out of her crib she has the biggest smile and you can tell she is just SO excited to see you. And then she loves to play in our bedroom with Louie for a half hour before breakfast!

She's eating 4oz bottles about 6 or 7 times in 24 hours. And we just recently started giving her a 4.5 oz bottle at 9pm before bed and it seems to hold her off until 4 or 5am. Which has been so amazing for sleeping. Even though we still have our hit or miss nights where she is up at 2, or 3, or 4. Or all of them. But we will see how it all works out when I go back to work next week. Which I can't even begin to talk about. I have so much anxiety with going back to work. 

She is enrolled in a day care right by our house that we have heard great things about, but my heart breaks thinking about all the time during the day I will miss with her. There is a small chance my husband will be able to stay home with her for a little bit so she doesn't have to go to day care quite yet. We will see how it all pans out. 

I'm amazed at how fast two months have gone by. I'm so excited to watch her grow and see more and more of her personality come out. Mommy hood can be so exhausting. But it is absolutely amazing.